City Says Shepard Fairey’s Houston Mural Is Illegal, Must Be Taken Down

Now that his show is open and all the hype paid off, Shepard Fairey might have to do some slightly less self-promotional public work: the city’s Department of Buildings says his mural on the Deitch wall at Bowery and Houston (pictured) was not only applied on an illegally built addition to the building, but is actually an illegal ad, not public art, because it’s promoting his exhibition (ouch, DoB, you tell it like it is!). The “May Day” mural was supposed to stay up until the end of the year, even though the same-named show at Deitch Projects closes with the gallery on May 29, but DNAinfo reports that the mural will have to be taken down, though the building owner can apply for a permit to keep the illegally built-out wall space. Will Fairey OBEY? (Curbed)

2 Comment

How is it an ad for his exhibit, when it list no such information and the artist is known for his murals worldwide. Seems more like bureaucrats simply putting their foot down on someone they see as insolent out of spite.